BALLER FROM BULGARIA // a UCONN story

9. A friend and a faraway foe

It was a little before 08:30. The morning had been filled with teasing from my teammates, and a worried voice in my mind. But, my mind was set. I had come to the conclusion I needed to make friends in the US. If my dream of being drafted to the W would come true, I would be here for a while. And, only having friends on the team didn't really count. So, going to breakfast with JJ was a good idea. Given he also saw this a friendly encounter, and not as a date.

So, wrapping my uconn baseball jacket around me, that I had worn during media day, I waited for the boy to show up. Just a few minutes later, his car pulled over.

'Hey! How are you?' he asked, as he got out and wrapped me in a quick hug.

I was taken aback a little bit, but had learned to expect hugs more often. I got this.

'I'm good, thanks! How about you.' I smiled as I got in the passenger seat of his car.

'Yeah alright! A bit tired because of an assignment, but we have all been there.'

The conversation on the way to the bagel place he was taking me flowed nicely. I don't know how to explain it other than that JJ was a great guy. He told me about his parents, his younger brother who still lived at home in Toronto, and his major, which was business economics.

Over breakfast, which consisted of an avocado bagel without sesame seeds (I am allergic to those), the subject shifted to me. I had expected this, as this is how conversations usually go.

'Yeah from Bulgaria. Sofia. It wasn't the easiest of childhoods but it got me where I am now. And honestly, I am in a twisted way thankful for it, because it made me really resilient.'

JJ nodded along a bit, as if he was evaluating all the words that left my mouth.

'honestly, I hear you. One of my exes was like really rich, and he always got what he wanted. It made him super obnoxious. My current boyfriend is nice though.'

He is gay. Thank god.

It was almost 10 when JJ and I left the restaurant. I had a great time, and he ensured me he did as well, by telling me we needed to this again soon.

He drove me home before giving me another hug, as we said goodbye.

'Sooooo, how was the date?' Nika said, the second I opened the door.

'Niks, I told you, not a date, we are definitely just friends. Besides, he is in a relationship.'

This caused KK and Paige to turn their heads from the couch, where they appeared to be playing a card game.

'Ouch, did you find out on your date-not-date?' KK asks with a laugh.

'Yeah, but like I said, I didn't want it to be a date anyways, who has the time?'

My housemates leave me alone and get back to their activities. Just as I am about to start working on an assignment on my (Geno's) laptop, my phone dings.

Miss Iryna

Stop making waves. Stop talking about your 'difficult childhood'.

We are seriously considering pulling you out of school.

There will be consequences.

Damn. Just when things are looking up, miss Iryna is right there to personally kick in the ground again. I really should have known that they would not appreciate me talking about my childhood, as it wouldn't necessarily depict them as nice people.

I sigh as I close my laptop. In my room, I get ready for practise. If I would leave now, I would have a good two hours before practice. That would surely get my mind straight again. The first game of the season would be in two days. I needed my head on straight.

'Where are you going?' Paige asks me as I walk out in full huskie training gear.

'Just going to get some shots up, before practice.' I say while walking past her. I see her look down at her watch before looking back at me. She doesn't make another remark, luckily.

An hour and a half later, I was working on some retreat dribbles, that would help me create space in games. I was just done with my set when Geno walked in.

'I thought I would find you here.' I say nothing, and just smile at him. 'I need to talk to you. Someone from your home reached out to request a meeting with me.' This stopped me dead in my tracks. 'A meeting?' was all I could get out.

'Yeah. I got an e-mail. Apparently, they- wait let me read it to you,' he says as he quickly picks up his phone, 'We raised Nataliya with care, and feel like she isn't representing the values we loved seeing in her. We would like to schedule a call for this Saturday, 3pm your time, if that works for you, to discuss how we can get Nataliya back in line. If this time doesn't work for you, please provide us with an alternative, as we are sure you want Nataliya to succeed in America just as badly as we do. It would be terrible if we would need to subtract our permission regarding her participation in the program, in order to protect Nataliya. Kind regards, bla bla bla.'

Geno looks up from his phone, and I can see his is almost as uncorfortable as I am right now.

'Look kid, I know these people haven't been good to you, and I have no interest in sending you back. If it is okay with you, I will meet with them, just to keep you here.'

The expression on Geno's face is the same one a grandfather would look at his granddaughter with. I bite my lip slightly. 'Coach, I don't know what they want you to do, but I really don't want to be send back. I can't go back truly.'

'I know Nat, I will meet with them sometime next week, and we'll go from there. I need you to focus on the game Sunday, alright?'

After assuring coach that focussing is exactly what I wanted to do as well, practice started.

--------------------------------------

Paige's POV

'Alright girls, don't forget, tomorrow, morning practice and afternoon tactical. Lets get this win Sunday!'

Just as I am about to leave to the locker room, coach pulls me back.

'can you keep a secret?' He asks me. 'Yeah? I'm an adult... what's up coach?'

'I am worried that the people from Nataliya's orphanage won't allow her to play, or even make her move back there.' I raise my eyebrows. That's a lot.

'Why? They can't do that can they?' I mean, surely Nat gets to decide where she lives.

'technically, they can do that until she is 18, which isn't for another couple of months. They asked me to agree to a meeting to discuss how to get her to adhere to their values or whatever...' And Taliya doesn't know this?

'Oh she does know a part of it. She knows I am meeting with them and about the values, but I did sugarcoat it a little. They are really mad. Can you please make sure Nat is okay until the game on Sunday? She really doesn't need anything else go wrong for her.'

'Yeah ofcourse, Don't worry coach, we got her.'